Dear Summer 2010

Bonjour l'été 2010,

School starts in eight days. I didn't get much of anything accomplished that I had set out to accomplish this summer. I spent time with friends but not enough. I got a piano but no stand (still!) and thus never finished learning a song. I didn't practice sight reading for choir. I never finished reading Wuthering Heights (I got bored after Cathy died...) or bought a second pair of jeans. Although to be fair, the jeans one will be cured in a few weeks. I don't have an awesome tan, and will yet again stand out like a sore thumb next to all the rich students at my school who spent their summers abroad or just vacationing in the states. I never got in shape, although I am going to work out today. I didn't find my job, but I am still filling out applications and turning them in. I didn't stick to my idea of being a choir director, but I'm not sure I want to risk not finding a job if I become a French teacher.

Thinking about all of this a few weeks ago, I was mildly disappointed in myself, but then I stopped to think of everything I did do this summer. I came to terms with quitting Synchronized Swimming. I improved my relationship with my parents. I discovered that Eminem actually has a song I like. I got to know my awesome friend, Kayla, better. I finally saw (and cried while watching) The Notebook, and P.S. I Love You. I got my license. I helped make my Renaissance Festival costume. I got in touch with an old friend of mine that I hadn't spent time with in years. I stayed in touch with a friend I've known since my early years in elementary school. I found a man who makes me feel beautiful, and as amazing as I think he is! I never gave up on getting a job, even though nothing has turned up yet. I learned how to cook French Toast and mini cinnamon rolls. I rediscovered my inner artist and discovered that I LOVE to paint. I managed to keep brushing up on my French, even though I've had no one all summer telling me to do so; I did it because I love the language. I've decided that I want to study in Québec, for sure ,100%. And, perhaps most important of all, I've worked to pursue my dream of studying in Québec. I've researched tons and I know I want to be in the Montréal area, and I have my first choice for a university already picked out. I know all of the legal processes I'm going to have to deal with when I do study abroad (Passport, Letter of Acceptance from a University, CAQ, Study Permit, but I don't need a temp resident visa). I've set goals for the coming school year (4.0 GPA, baby!) and you can be damn sure I'm going to do my best to accomplish them, even at the cost of my social life. I'm going to audition for every theatre performance this year because I'm *going* to get some sort of role this year. When I don' make it, I'll tech like last spring. I'm finally going to join Speech like I've always wanted. And, I'm going to join Spirit Players!

Yeah, I'd say summer 2010 has been a productive one. Much more than summer 2009, that was filled with endless partying and unfinished summer assignments. Now to go finish my summer assignments for *this* summer...

À l'année prochaine,

Mlle Delphine

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Bonjour, mes amis,

If I went to college in Québec, it's not really much more expensive than the schools here even though I'd be an international student. Now, if I was a resident of Québec, I could get my education for ridiculously cheap. For example, at the University of Minnesota, I could pay $18,800 a year to go to school in my own state. If I went to McGill University, I could pay $15,000 a year and that's in another country. Not even just another country, in a major French-speaking area of the world! Impressed? It gets better.

Now let's say I go to a college that doesn't have such a big name, like known across North America. But still a very good school... How about Sherbrooke University? This school doesn't just have a program for Music Education, it has a Masters degree specified for Choir Directing! If I was a resident of Québec, I'd be paying $3,888 a year. No, that's not a typo. Three thousand and eight-hundred eighty eight dollars. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it doesn't end with me being in debt until I'm 40!

From what I've seen, it doesn't sound too awfully hard to become a resident, and I have a friend in the area who could definitely help me out. I can't believe I could actually go to college in Québec for less than four thousand dollars a year! That's ridiculous! And I LOVE IT. Je t'aime, Québec! I see you in my future, small student loan debt.

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

Red is Bad, Green is Good

Bonjour, mes amis,

So... I still haven't gotten around to looking at any colleges in southern California yet (yes, that's a possibility) but I've looked at a handful in Quebec or nearby. So far? Nothing dream-like, but I'm making progress. The other day I realized my notes were getting far too messy and unorganized, so I put the main categories I'm looking at into a spreadsheet. Once I get more colleges I'm actually liking the sound of, I'll go into more details. Here is my college search thus far:

Yeah. See that big red block? That's the schools that don't have decent (or any) Music Education programs. I won't be going there, but I figured I'd keep them on the list just so I know what I've already been through. The U of MN is my backup college if all else fails, but so far it looks like McGill University and Laval University are doing the best. But still not very strong in some areas, either, unfortunately! I need a school that's cheaper than $30,000 a year, has a decent Music Education program, and is around Montreal/Ottawa. You wouldn't think it's that hard, would you? But I'll find one, just you wait and see. Even if it's not super close to either city, if it's within a three hour drive I could do that.


Alright, now you're wondering, "Why Montreal/Ottawa? I thought she said Quebec." Yeah I said Quebec, and I meant Quebec. But I don't really want to be on the other side of the continent in Quebec (the city) and I do want to be near a big city. I think I'd die without being able to make weekend trips to some place fun! Plus I know a couple people in the region, it'd be nice to have them help me get used to living in a totally new country without any family around.


Now I'm just rambling because I'm tired and all sorts of other things, so bonsoir, mes amis.



À demain,
Mlle Delphine

Un peu de tout

Bonjour mes amis!

Je néglige mon français! Ce message sera en français, complètement. (This post will be in French, entirely. Desolée, my anglophone friends!) Et desolée, mes amis francophone, pour mon mauvais français.

Ce matin j'ennuyais, allors j'ai décidé chercher l'internet pour divertissement! Voilà, mon matin.

Premièrement j'ai vu la film Amélie. Mon beau-père a Netflix et j'ai voulu voir P.S. I Love You mais je n'ai pu pas la regarde sur l'ordinateur. Et ensuite j'ai vu "Amélie: Vous devez voir!" Pourquoi pas? La film est très bizzare! Mignon, mais bizzare. "Vous devez voir" comprendre.

Deuxièmement j'ai écouté à Éric Lapointe. Mon ami a dit il est bon. Je pense il est comme si comme ça. Sa voix, c'est trop âpre pour moi. Ses chansons lente sont bon; j'aime cette chanson. Vraiment? Il a l'air effrayant.

Enfin, j'ai regardé à plus d'universités en Québec. Je suis déjà regardé à Université Laval, l'Université de Montreal, l'Université de Québec, McGille Université et autres, mais maintenant je regarde à Carleton Université et l'Université d'Ottawa.

Et.. ouai. Je ne veut pas écrire en français maintenant, allor ce message est finit!

À demain,

Mlle Delphine

College... in Quebec?

Bonjour, mes amis!

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

Wouldn't that be SO AWESOME?! Okay, here I go trying to explain to my evil councilor why this is a good idea and why he shouldn't talk me out of it like he does to all my other friends and their ideas. Also, for my friends who are now panicking about me going away to Canada. *Clears throat and the screen does the wavey fade out and in again to another scene*

I want to major in Music Education and become a choir director. French, however, is something I could never give up, and so every time I search for colleges, I have to look for a music program and a good French program. Realistically, I know there are some out there, but they tend to be very expensive or in remote areas I'm not so fond of moving to... and to be honest, I want to go to a decent school, not some random place in a town of 400 that conveniently is affordable. No, money is not my primary concern, but it is a concern. I expect to be in debt until I'm forty and I want to make sure that every single dime was spent on me enjoying my one life. My father will be taking me to France after I graduate from high school for a couple weeks, and as much as I'll love it, I know I would never be able to afford to go to school there. So, I guess I could study abroad for a semester or two. But then I had a better idea:

Why not go to school in Quebec?

Think about it, I'd be doing all of my learning in one school so I wouldn't have to be uprooted every 4-9 months. It's a major French-speaking area in the world and most any college I look at will be taught in French, and they have programs to assist the students whose native language isn't French. I wouldn't have to worry about whether or not there is a good French program all while being pretty immersed in it, and I know my ability to speak the language would increase drastically. Then I would be able to focus my actual classes on getting my major and it would save me money in the long run since most language classes are a handful of credits.

As for the actual going to school in another country, I think it would be an incredible opportunity. I've always loved seeing new places, but visiting them on vacation is never the same as actually living there. Simply moving cities was an intense culture shock to me because my hometown was all I ever knew. Now I know the surrounding metro, but I feel like I'm still missing out on so much. I know it won't be easy to move to a place so far away, and I know I will miss my friends and family, but I don't believe that life is about living inside of your comfort zone. I also know, from experience, that I will be able to stay in touch with anyone who truly cares about me and that I'll make amazing, new friends while I'm there! I have learned so much about the way other people work, about other places, but most of all, about me. Going to a university in Quebec would be another opportunity to keep learning about the world while still moving onwards and upwards in my life, and I think I would be a fool to not take this opportunity.

*The screen wavey fades out and back into real time* What do you think? Somewhat convincing? The wording and rambling is going to happen no matter how much I edit this paragraph because I'm not the best speaker, so I figured I'd leave it as is. I'm actually really excited at the prospect of going to college in Quebec! I've been doing some research on it but know I still have more work to do before I can prove to my councilor that I know enough about the difference in systems.

À demain,

Mlle Delphine